Erdoğan urges Turkic countries for joint security concept against irregular migration

SAMARKAND

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged the leaders of the Organization of Turkic States on Nov. 11 to develop a common security concept against irregular migration.

Addressing the ninth Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States in Samarkand, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye was the country hosting the largest number of refugees in the world since 2014.

“We host approximately 5 million oppressed, 3.6 million of whom are from Syria. It will be beneficial for us to increase our cooperation in the prevention and management of irregular migration,” the president said.

Erdoğan said it would be beneficial to realize the Turkish Investment Fund as soon as possible. “It will be beneficial to put into practice the Turkic Investment Fund as soon as possible. I believe that the financial opportunities to be provided by the Fund will strengthen our cooperation and give momentum to our activities,” he said.

“We are going through a fragile period that offers risks as well as opportunities to our countries,” he said and added: “We see that it is critical more than ever for us to strengthen the cooperation, solidarity and harmony among us during this period.”

Türkiye has been making every effort to end the conflicts that have been going on for nine months in Ukraine with a just peace and while doing this, Ankara has been taking the necessary interventions to prevent the food crisis, Erdoğan stated.

Noting that Türkiye has been in the fight against terrorist organizations PKK/PYD/YPG, FETO, ISIL and Al-Qaeda, Erdoğan said, “We will not stop until the terrorist threat against our country is completely eliminated. We rely on the support of our brothers in our struggle. I would like to reiterate that we are ready for all kinds of cooperation with you in eliminating FETÖ.”

Reminding that the historic summit held in Istanbul the previous year had served as a milestone for the consolidation of the institutional unity within the Turkic world, Erdoğan said: “As we transformed our council into an organization, we laid the groundwork for a unique and efficient structure as well. The 2040-Turkic World Vision document, which we adopted in Istanbul, constitutes the framework of our cooperation.”

The president emphasized that they want to strengthen our cooperation in such areas as politics, security, trade, customs, transportation, energy, healthcare, informatics, education, youth and sports.

The strategy document the organization adopted offers the members a roadmap, he said, urging to closely follow the implementation of each element in the strategy document.

Erdoğan received the Supreme Order of the Turkic World award in Uzbekistan in recognition of his services to better the world of his Turkic brethren.

As the Turkic world, we are stronger today than yesterday, Erdoğan said after receiving the honor.

He thanked Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, an observer member of the organization, for “the bridge he created between Europe and the Turkic world.”

Erdoğan also congratulated Orban for his “struggle for democracy” in the European Union.

“It is not for everyone to fight this struggle. They have dragged us at the gates of the European Union for 52 years. They are still doing the same thing. But we will give them what is necessary,” Erdoğan stated.